RIANSH: It Ends With Us – Chapter 6

Link to Chapter 5: https://www.tellyupdates.com/riansh-it-ends-with-us-chapter-5/

It Ends With Us – Chapter 6

Riddhima adjusted the volume of the stereo and relaxed against the plushness of the seat, trying to hold her pretense. Despite the volume of work that remained at Ahmedabad for her to attend to, she knew she was going to miss Vansh dearly. She sighed, desperately wanting to crib about her work and schedules. She wouldn’t understand why the office couldn’t allow for a junior’s on-site visits.

Riddhima (cracking her knuckles): This is annoying. First of all, they don’t tell me ahead of time that I’ve to go and secondly, I don’t understand why someone else can’t do these visits. I know, as a matter of fact, that online monitoring would do just as fine.

Vansh (chuckling): I’ve never seen you so exasperated, Riddhima. What’s the matter? Do you not want to leave me behind?

Riddhima looked at him with a straight face, her expressions almost turning boring. This man, she’d noted, loved flattering himself. He loved ensuring that the epicenter of her entire existence relied on him, just like he said his was. She shook her head and looked outside the window, trying to stifle the small smile that pulled her lips upward.

Riddhima: I guess so.

Vansh (surprise filtering through his voice): Really? Did you just…

Riddhima turned around and looked at him, a small smile tilting her lips. In the past three months, she’d almost never seen him happier than now. It felt like he’d been awaiting this moment ever since their marriage and a wave of happiness coursed through her, the realization hitting her deep within. Despite how she’d acted since so long and several of their arguments, he’d tried being as patient as possible. He’d been willing to give her the time and space she wanted and needed.

Riddhima (continuing to smile): The trip just feels too long, doesn’t it?

Vansh (chuckling and glancing at her momentarily): If you want, I can accompany you though.

Riddhima (shaking her head): THIS, this is the reason why I don’t tell you things. See, I say just one thing and you’re over the moon. Filminess khatam hi nahi hoti tumhari.

Vansh: Isse mohabbat kehte hain.

Riddhima: Khair, you told you wanted to talk about some good news before I left. What was that?

Vansh: I – um, I’ve a trip too and…

Vansh paused mid-way when his phone rang and the sound echoed within the closed space of the car. He looked at the stereo display and swiped a finger across the screen to accept the call; It was Ishani’s.

Ishani: Hello. Did you drop Bhabhi at the airport?

Vansh: Bhabhi? Since when have you started calling her that?

Ishani: Uh, the other day Mom made a fuss about it and she thought it was against the principles of our house, so.

The tone of her voice lingered in the car – the tension almost agonizing. Ishani knew her brother hated it when their parents talked about principles. She cleared her voice wanting to change the topic, but Vansh had already pulled up his pretense.

Vansh: I think Riddhima feels better being called by her name. Anyway, that’s between you two. She’s here and if you want, you can sort it right now.

Ishani: Oh, you still haven’t dropped her at the airport! I wanted to talk to the two of you, so this is good.

Riddhima turned her attention toward the call and keenly listened to Ishani. She’d talked to Ishani several times before, but their conversations never contained importance; they were just simple conversations between two acquaintances.

Ishani: Did you guys resolve your fight? Please don’t tell me you guys have still not sorted your sh*t out.

When Vansh saw Riddhima turn toward him in the seat, he slammed his forehead and mentally berated Ishani for her loudmouth. Why hadn’t she waited for him to call back? He tapped on the stereo display and disconnected the call, not wanting to continue the conversation any longer.

Riddhima: You told her about our fight?

Vansh: Uh, it was just a slip of tongue. It was not deliberate.

Riddhima: Vansh, this relation is between you and me. I don’t think we need a third person to interfere in between. The two of us can manage it just as fine.

Vansh: I didn’t do it intentionally and Ishani’s not a third person, Riddhima. She’s my sister and my family lies between the two of us too.

Riddhima (looking at Vansh unbelievably): Even if this were Raima, she’d still have been the third person in this relationship. I don’t go around talking about our fights with her or Maa and (inhaling deeply) I literally shared everything with them before our marriage.

Vansh (exhaling harshly): I haven’t stopped you, Riddhima. You can share whatever you want with your sister and I’d really have no problem.

Riddhima: I don’t want to. I don’t want some third person to know about our fights, Vansh. (turning around and sitting up straight) It’s just as simple.

Vansh: How does it matter, Riddhima? Ishani would never, ever come between us. You can trust her on that.

Riddhima (in an exasperated voice): I know. But if YOU don’t stop here, then you’d go around sharing your problems with literally anyone. And no one would leave an opportunity to spoil things between us.

Vansh (clenching his fingers around the wheel): That means, you can’t trust me. You don’t trust me.

Riddhima: What’re you saying? And why? I am just saying that what’s between us, remains between us. I never ask you what’s happening between you and Ishani because that’s your relation and I’m a third person there. I’ve never even asked you what’ve you talked with your friends at lunchtime.

Vansh halted the car at the airport drop-off and looked at her, sighing heavily. His fingers had reddened from clenching the wheel and his eyes had turned red, his expressions turning furious.

Vansh: Even though you can. Have I ever stopped you?

Riddhima: Why aren’t you understanding what I am saying? You’re just taking this entire conversation in an entirely different direction and just want a reason to fight with me just before I leave.

Vansh: You think I’m enjoying this?

Riddhima (sighing deeply): I never said that.

Vansh (trying to mock her): Oh, but you certainly meant that.

Riddhima: I think, I should leave. You do not want me to miss the flight now, do you?

When Riddhima got down the car, Vansh exhaled heavily and tried unlocking but she slammed the door and stared at him squarely, her gaze almost turning piercing. He flinched and looked around, his eyes widening in shock. She’d never behaved this way, but he wasn’t going to tend to her temper this time. She couldn’t be correct all the time and he bl*ody damn knew it.

He was not going to move away from his words.

Riddhima: Don’t trouble yourself. I’ll take the luggage myself.

He saw her push the trolley behind the car and unload the luggage. He berated himself several times, wanting to help her and resolve their issues before she left, but he didn’t. He saw her waving her hand from the corner of his eyes and he nodded his head, acknowledging it. When she walked inside the airport, he drove away, guilt gnawing at his conscience.

Certainly, he could’ve pushed his ego aside.

————

Who do you think is right here: Riddhima or Vansh?

Hi there, sorry for not being able to post any earlier. My health hasn’t been the best in the past two weeks but hoping to get back to writing more this week. Anyhow, that’s it for this chapter and I hope y’all liked it. Thanks for reading and stay safe everyone!